“Considering that some of the justices are on self-quarantine as a health precaution against COVID-19” (corona virus disease 2019), the Supreme Court (SC) postponed to March 2 the continuation of the oral arguments scheduled on Tuesday, February 23, on 37 cases challenging the constitutionality of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) of 2020.
(MANILA BULLETIN)
The announcement was issued by the SC through Clerk of Court Edgar O. Aricheta who did not say who among the 15 SC justices are on self- quarantine.
Tuesday’s postponed oral arguments would have been the fourth day of the legal debates on the petitions against ATA.
Only the petitioners through their counsels have presented their side on the alleged unconstitutionality of ATA.
The presentation of the government’s side, through Solicitor General Jose C. Calida, will follow.
Thereafter, the SC is expected to call its appointed “friends of the court” (amici curiae) to present their statements on the issues involved in the petitions.
Former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno and former SC Associate Justice Francis H. Jardeleza have been appointed “friends of the court.”